March 19, 2024

On your mark

Derby encourages early engineering skills — and friendly competition

By HILARY FERRAND

OST news editor
hferrand@osceolaiowa.com

Cub Scout Pack 101 held its Pinewood Derby last Saturday in the Clarke Middle School gymnasium. The cars were raced on timed tracks. Local Boy Scouts helped run the event, and people in the community stopped by with their own cars for the outlaw race, an annual fundraiser costing $5 per car.

“They can spend a whole year getting ready for it,” said Cub Master Calli Shields. “We hand out the kits ourselves a month or two in advance.”

The official Pinewood Derby Car Kit comes with a block of wood, four wheels,

a few nails and not much else. It’s up to each boy to design his own car, though help of a parent is encouraged.

“They can cut it out to whatever design they want,” said Rose Grief, whose son, Ivan, is taking part in his second derby. His dad, Melvin, is helping.

Most of the boys participate. The pack makes it as easy as possible by providing the car kits for free.

The finished product can weigh up to 5 ounces, be up to 2 3/4 inches wide and 7 inches long, and have a wheel width of 1 3/4 inches. There also needs to be a clearance between the car and the track of at least 3/8 of an inch. As long as they fit the measurements, cars can be decorated any way the racers please.

“The Boy Scouts always do a concession stand at the derby,” said Scout Master Sara Whirrett. “They also help handle the car for the youngsters, that way the little kids aren’t dropping someone’s car. It’s kind of a helping hand for both groups.”

Whirrett is a former Cub Scout leader and the organization’s treasurer. She started with the scouts when her oldest son was small, eight years ago, and now is helping older boys on their path to Eagle Scout.

“Very few kids ever acquire their Eagle. I have been lucky,” she said. “I have had at least one child a year earn their Eagle since I have been Scout Master, since 2011.”

It’s just one thing about the scout programs here that make them unique.

“Osceola is one of the few groups that really tries to pay for our kids to do things. Kids who can’t participate in other things can still take part,” said Shields. “Parents pay for the first year, and as long as the kids come to the meetings, the pack pays the fees for everyone until they graduate from high school.”

The derby is free for Cub Scouts too, though extra car kits can be purchased for $5. Funds for camps and other activities come through fundraisers, like the outlaw race.

“Anyone can do that,” said Shields, and several adults in the community get involved, including Phyllis Feehan, 71, a four-year outlaw race veteran.

Feehan got involved while watching her grandsons race and found out about the outlaw division. Not only can cars be entered by anyone, but there are no size restrictions either.

“This one guy has all kinds of cars,” said Feehan. “There’s even one with wheels like a pizza cutter. It’s amazing what they come up with.”

Amazingly enough, Feehan’s car was the talk of the derby in 2015, cut from a hitch.

“The boys made it, and I painted it like a Kit-Kat,” said Feehan. “They helped me name it. The Candy Crush. It’s so heavy, the wheels kind of sprung out.”

While some of the scouts get competitive, for most it’s just a chance to have fun. Money from concessions and the outlaw race go to fund other activities.

Winners from Saturday’s derby included:

1st - Cooper Smith
2nd - Jake Pontier 
3rd - Cole McCann

Best of Show - Remington Binning

Most Creative - Luke Olsen

Sportsmanship - Dwight Humphrey

I did it myself - Kayden Johnson

Most Colorful - Luke Wade

Hard Luck - Justin Rhodes

Outlaws Race Winners

1st - Nathan Binning
2nd - Remington Binning 
3rd - Cooper Smith